I followed the "Reunited" prompt and got Ino drunk while playing "Never Have I Ever." The conversations and insults are based on ones that I've had with my friends. If we were ninja, these are definitely the kinds of questions we would ask each other.

Content warning for some gendered slurs and sexual scenes. Also for alcohol and drinking. Definitely rated M for Mature here.

Background relationships that have no significant bearing on the story: Naruto/Hinata, Shikamaru/Temari, Tenten/Karin, Ino/Sai, Gaara/Lee, and (if you squint) Naruto/Sasuke and Sai/Shino.

xOxOxOxOxOx

When Ino first invited Sakura out for dinner, she had not expected to wake up hungover in a strange bed.

As she lay there, she forced herself to open her eyes and was met by the sight of soft pink hair. She sat up abruptly and looked down at the girl sleeping next to her. Sakura was asleep, snoring softly. Ino looked around the room, wondering where she was.

She caught sight of Sakura's hitai-ate on top of the dresser sitting next to her bag. With that, all of the memories rushed back and she placed her hands over her face to contain her embarrassed scream.

It had all started when Sakura returned from her extended mission in Sunagakure. The Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, had sent her as a representative of Konoha's medical program. Sakura was supposed to help improve their medical system under the direct supervision of the Fifth Kazekage himself.

She had been gone from Konoha for nearly eighteen months, sending Ino the occasional letter. Ino had replied back every time, bragging about starting to date Sai and about her promotions in the Torture and Investigation department.

Sakura had congratulated her and told her about some of the improvements she and Gaara were making in the greenhouses. She had attached a photo to one of those letters. In it, Sakura was grinning widely at the cameraman while Gaara stood calmly next to her. Each of them held a potted plant for the camera to see. Both of them wore aprons and wide-brimmed hats as they held their treasured plants. Ino pinned the picture to her refrigerator door.

Through her connections in T&I, she had heard that Sakura's mission was coming to an end faster than anticipated. The Kazekage was supervising the medical greenhouses while the staff had finished the training sessions that Tsunade and Shizune has prepared ahead of schedule.

Because of this knowledge, when Ino saw a head of pink hair from the corner of her eye, she was not surprised to see Sakura already back in the village. Ino turned around quickly to look for her friend before she vanished in the crowd. She rushed forward, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder from behind.

Instinctively, Sakura turned around, brandishing a kunai at the perceived threat. Ino was prepared with a kunai of her own, however, and managed to block Sakura's attack before anyone could get hurt. When Sakura saw Ino, her eyes opened wide and she smiled at her oldest friend, lowering her kunai.

"Ino!" Sakura said with surprise. "I'm so happy to see you! I'm glad you managed to block my attack before I hit any vital areas. I don't like using medical ninjutsu unless I have to."

Ino huffed and gave her friend a small smirk. "Billboard Brow, you're still too slow to top me."

"Whatever, Ino Pig," Sakura stuck her tongue out with a look that made it clear that she wasn't serious. "Anyway, how have you been? Has Konoha gone downhill now that Kakashi-sensei is the Hokage and I'm not here anymore?"

"Not any more than usual. Not much has been happening. I guess Naruto and Hinata got engaged officially, but you probably already knew that," Ino said.

Sakura nodded in response. "Yeah, Kankuro and Gaara were happy to hear the news. They are trying to arrange their work so that they can attend the wedding. The boys have very busy lives."

Since when is Sakura on first-name terms with the Fifth Kazekage and his brother? Whatever, that's a question for later.

"Anyway, Billboard Brow," Ino continued. "We should catch up. You can tell me all the juicy gossip from Suna and I can tell you all the juicy gossip from Konoha. Deal?"

"Deal," Sakura answered with a smile. "Where do you want to go? It's kind of late already. I wanted to buy some groceries now that I'm back, but I can probably survive on take out until tomorrow. I'm too tired to make dinner for tonight, anyway."

"Oh, well in that case, what would you prefer: Ichiraku ramen or barbecue?" Ino grabbed onto Sakura's elbow.

Sakura groaned. "Ugh. Gaara always wants to get barbecue. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would rather eat ramen."

"Well, that settles it, Ichiraku it is!" With the decision made, Ino began to make her way to the restaurant, Sakura following obediently next to her with an amused smile.

"Anyway," Ino said as they walked, "Ichiraku has gotten really big since you left! Hinata and Naruto eat there almost every night, I swear, so we might get to them soon. Sai might be there, too! You know he's my boyfriend now, right?"

"Really? That's nice," Sakura said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Startled at the sudden shift in tone, Ino wondered why her friend looked less enthusiastic than before. Nevertheless, Ino continued talking nonstop as they walked with linked arms. Sakura responded little, simply listening to Ino's chatting and making occasional comments.

When they arrived and pushed past the curtains, Ino saw Naruto bent over a bowl of ramen with Hinata at his side. Many of their other friends were also there. Shikamaru and Temari sat side by side eating and talking softly. Next to Shikamaru, she saw Chouji, Tenten, Lee, and Sai.

Upon seeing her boyfriend, Ino let go of Sakura's arm to run to Sai.

"Guess who?" she yelled as she hugged him from behind.

"Ah, it's you, Ino," he replied in his calm tone of voice.

Ino pouted at his weak reply. She wished that Sai were more enthusiastic when he was with her. Even Shikamaru was more attentive and energetic with Temari, and he was the laziest man she had ever met in her life.

Ino looked back at Sakura, who stood by the entrance glaring at her in silence. Ino gave her what she hoped looked like an apologetic smile as all of her other friends turned to look at Sakura.

"Hey everyone, look who's back?" she said while gesturing at Sakura, who was standing by the entrance awkwardly.

"Sakura-chan!" predictably, Naruto immediately stood up to tackle Sakura in a hug. Sakura returned his embrace with a smile and Ino was glad that she already looked happier.

The other ninja turned to look at Sakura as well, saying their own greetings and welcoming Sakura back home.

"Naruto! I hope the village hasn't gotten destroyed while I've been gone," Sakura joked while still enclosed within Naruto's arms.

"Nope! Kakashi-sensei is too cool for that, y'know," Naruto replied, taking her hand and leading her to the counter. "Here, sit next to me and Hinata-chan. Ino can sit next to Sai."

"Hey! Excuse me!" Ino yelled, "I'm the one that gets to sit next to Sakura! Sai is fine here by himself, aren't you, Darling?"

"Of course, Beautiful."

Ino heard Chouji snicker at Sai's nickname and she punched him on the back of the head. Leaving Sai behind, she went to sit next to Sakura at the end of the counter.

Ino placed her order. As she waited, she watched Sakura and Naruto talk as they caught up. Sakura looked happier now that she was chatting with the other shinobi. Ino smiled at the sight of her friend enjoying herself.

When they finished eating and paid, their group walked outside, talking about whatever came to mind. Sakura spoke with everyone and although she still looked concerned about something, she also appeared a lot calmer. Eventually, it came time for them to separate, however.

"Aww... Why do we have to leave? Why can't we go out and have fun? The night is still young, y'know?"

"Because you have a mission at six in the morning tomorrow, you idiot, with me and Chouji," Shikamaru answered testily. "Now, go back home and sleep well or I will make sure that your wedding is cancelled."

Face pale, Naruto headed home with Shikamaru and Chouji close behind him. As the boys left, Sakura gasped and turned towards Lee.

"Oh! Lee! I almost forgot! I have something for you from Gaara," Sakura reached for her pouch.

"From Gaara?" Lee asked. For some reason Ino couldn't figure out, he was blushing.

"Yup! He hopes that you can visit Suna again soon," Sakura confirmed as she handed over a large envelope.

"Thank you Sakura-chan," Lee bowed down and took the envelope reverently in his hands. "Good night everyone. I hope to see all of you soon."

With those parting words, Lee left, leaving the five kunoichi with Sai.

"So..." Tenten began awkwardly, "want to have a girl's night?"

At Tenten's words, Hinata and Temari looked at her with contemplative looks.

"Well, I think it's a good idea," Ino said while crossing her arms over her chest. "The boys are always getting together and having fun without us. Why can't we do the same, too?"

"Am I invited?" Sai asked seriously. "Am I included in the 'we' in your question, Beautiful?'

"Sorry, Sai, girls only," Ino apologized to sai. "Although if you wouldn't mind, could you send a letter to my mom telling her that I might be late? I don't want her to worry."

"Me, too. I need to send Hanabi and Father a message," Hinata said. "He worries whenever I get home too late without telling him."

At those words, Sai opened his sketchpad to draw small birds that carried messages for Ino and Hinata. She watched the messages fly away. She bent forward and pressed a small kiss on Sai's cheek.

"Thank you, Darling. Sorry you can't come but it isa girl's night," she explained.

"I understand, Beautiful," with those parting words, Sai disappeared, leaving the five kunoichi standing under the streetlight.

Ino turned back to look at her fellow women. Temari and Tenten were giving her looks with raised eyebrows. Hinata gave her a small smile. However, Sakura looked concerned about something once again.

Did Sai and Sakura have a fight? No, they were very friendly with each other back at the restaurant. I wonder what happened?

Trying to push the matter of sad Sakura out of her mind, she decided to make herself the leader of their girl's night. "So, where should we go, anyway?"

"Can't be my place!" Tenten complained. "My apartment is small, Ino lives with her mom, Hinata still lives in the compound, and Temari has a roommate until she moves in with Shikamaru."

"Maybe we can go to a bar?" Temari suggested.

"My apartment," Sakura answered. "Shizune kept it clean while I was gone and the walls are sound-proofed so we can be as loud as we want without disturbing the neighbors. We need to get some booze, though. I only have half a bottle of sake in the kitchen right now."

"Oh! That's nice!" Tenten said with a grin. "I'll get us a few bottles. You can keep whatever we don't finish to yourself, right, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded, amused, and began to lead the way towards her apartment while Tenten ran to the convenience store. They reached her home quickly and Sakura opened the door, handing each of them a pair of slippers as they entered one by one.

Sakura's apartment is really nice.

Her apartment was larger than Ino had expected for one person. A large window that led out onto a balcony gave them a great view of the Hokage Mountain. There were comfy-looking sofas surrounding a large coffee table and tasteful paintings were hanging on the walls

"Your apartment is surprisingly nice, Billboard Brow," Ino said as she looked around.

"Thank you, Ino Pig. I decorated it before I left." Sakura crossed her arms and gave her a lopsided smirk.

"Thank you for inviting us," Hinata said with a small nod.

"No problem, Hinata. No need to be so formal. Thank you for coming," Sakura replied. "Now, everyone, please sit down and relax. I'll get some cups while we wait for Tenten."

The kunoichi sat down on the sofas and began talking with one another animatedly. A few minutes later, Tenten arrived while holding a bag with what looked to be three bottles of sake.

"I hope you didn't buy the cheap shit," Temari complained from the sofa.

"What do you think I am, an idiot?" Tenten replied with a smile. "Not the best, but not the worst either. Check it out."

Tenten tossed the bottle carelessly over at Temari who caught it expertly. Temari checked the label on the bottle and seemed satisfied at the brand. "Not a bad choice," Temari admitted as she opened the bottle and began to serve everyone.

"So, anyway, are we going to play a drinking game or just talk?" Tenten asked as she sat down.

"Drinking game!" Ino answered excitedly. "An embarrassing one like Truth or Dare."

"Not truth or dare," Temari complained. "The Sixth Hokage arrested us the last time we played it."

"Fine, then how about Never Have I Ever?" Ino suggested.

Temari and Tenten nodded in agreement. Hinata looked apprehensive while Sakura looked confused.

"Wait, Billboard Brow, don't tell me you don't know how to play? It's, like, the most common drinking game ever!" Ino said while raising one eyebrow to look at her friend.

"I don't drink a lot, Ino Pig. I'm not an alcoholic like you," Sakura said while crossing her arms and looking away in embarrassment.

"Fine, I'll explain the rules," Ino sighed. "Basically, everyone takes turns to say something they have never done before in their life. If you have done that, you take a drink, but if you haven't done it, you don't drink anything. For example, if I say 'Never have I ever been to Sunagakure' you, Temari, and Tenten drink because you have all been there. But since neither Hinata and I have never been to Suna, we don't drink. Got it, Billboard Brow?"

"Sounds simple enough, Ino Pig," Sakura said. "Who starts?"

"I'll go first until you get the hang of it, okay, Sakura?" Tenten said as she watched the sake swirl around in her cup. "Let's start innocent. Never have I ever had a crush on a teammate."

Unsurprisingly, Sakura was the only one to take a sip. She scrunched up her face at the taste and coughed.

"Geez, this is some strong stuff, are you sure we need three bottles of this shit, Tenten?" Sakura with teary eyes.

"Of course we need three bottles!" Tenten replied with a pout. "Whatever we don't finish drinking is for you to keep, okay Sakura? Think of it like a housewarming present!"

Sakura nodded, still struggling to handle the taste of the sake. Tenten pointed at Temari, asking silently for her to continue the game. Temari thought for a few seconds before looking mischievously at Tenten.

"Never have I ever kissed another girl on the lips," Temari said with a smug look on her face.

"You bitch," Tenten muttered playfully before taking a sip of sake from her cup. "Targeted statements shouldn't count! Just because I'm dating Karin now..."

Ino couldn't help but giggle at Tenten's complaints at what she felt was unfair gameplay. She almost didn't notice when Sakura took a sip as well, her face as pink as her hair.

"Sakura?" Tenten asked in surprise, which only caused Sakura to blush and look down. "When did this happen? You gotta tell us now! Don't keep us waiting!"

"It was with one of the nurses in Suna," Sakura admitted while looking at her knees. "We went on a few dates but it didn't really work out between us. She was very nice though and we still talk sometimes."

Ino's heart leapt in her chest. She hadn't known that Sakura liked girls as well as boys. Her brain tried to think of the possibilities and she wondered when Sakura had realized she wasn't straight.

"I didn't know you were bi," Temari said. "With your Sasuke obsession, I never pictured you as the type to chase after girls as well."

"It's over between Sasuke and I," Sakura admitted. "In the end, we just weren't compatible. He was more interested in someone else, anyway."

Ino frowned. She wondered how Sasuke could have liked anyone other than Sakura. Her friend was smart and beautiful and Ino couldn't imagine any girl more wonderful than her.

"Well, that's his loss," Ino said while crossing her arms in annoyance. "Boy or girl, you need someone who deserves you," she huffed.

Sakura smiled at Ino gratefully, closing her eyes in relief. Ino returned the gesture and patted Sakura on the head.

"Anyway, Hinata, your turn," Temari said.

"Uh... well... uh... I guess it's my turn," Hinata looked up in contemplation for a few seconds as she tried to think of a good idea. "Never have I ever had a crush on a person that I shouldn't have."

Ino, Sakura, and Tenten took a sip.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"Sasuke," the other girls replied simultaneously while shaking their heads. Hinata laughed lightly.

It was Ino's turn next. She thought about what to say for a few seconds before speaking. "Never have I ever used ninjutsu to make sex more interesting."

Not that I've even had sex, though. Although... I can think of some interesting applications of the Yamanaka Clan Techniques.

Tenten, Sakura, and Temari shook their heads. Hinata, however, grew incredibly red and she took a sip from her cup. Everyone turned at her in surprise.

"Naruto likes using Shadow Clones," Hinata whispered with her eyes looking down.

Ino couldn't keep the mental images away and she wished she had a way to bleach her brain. She downed her cup and poured herself a new serving. With any luck, she wouldn't remember anything tomorrow. She turned her eyes towards Sakura, who looked like she was trying and failing not to imagine what Hinata had just implied.

"Anyway... uh..." Sakura began awkwardly. "Never have I ever seen any of my teammates naked."

"Wait, you never got to see Sasuke naked?" Tenten asked incredulously. "Weren't you two dating for like a year?"

"Nope, we never got that far. Anyway, take your drink or say your own thing," Sakura said.

Reluctantly, Ino took a sip alongside Temari and Hinata. Apparently, Kiba sometimes forgot that while dogs didn't need to wear clothes, humans definitely did.

"My turn! Never have I ever kissed a teammate!" Tenten said with a grin and blushing cheeks. Apparently, she was already feeling the affects of the alcohol.

Sakura was the only one that drank at that one, shrugging nonchalantly. "Hey, Naruto was dying and needed help breathing. Sasuke was better but he was kind of a mess."

Ino couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy at Sakura's words. She couldn't believe that Sasuke had gotten the chance to kiss Sakura. She wondered if her lips were as soft as they looked.

The game continued for a few more rounds. Ino was glad that Tenten had proposed the game. Not only had she learned that Sakura was interested in dating women, she had learned that she and Sasuke had never moved their relationship to the next level. For some reason, it was a relief to know.

Tenten got more red in the face as each round passed by. Hinata swayed where she sat and even Temari looked affected by the sake. Sakura was the only one seemingly sober and she talked and moved normally. Ino marveled at how pretty Sakura looked.

Eventually they ran out of things to say to another and they abandoned the game to talk freely amongst themselves. Tenten and Temari chatted about Hinata's plans for her wedding. Hinata listened politely, chiming in with information about what they had planned for that day.

"You're gonna be here for the wedding, right Sakura?" Ino asked.

"Cha! Of course! Naruto and Hinata are my friends. What are you implying, Ino Pig?" she said.

"Nothing! It's just cause you're always busy so I wanted to make sure," Ino defended herself. She tried to glare at Sakura but her vision was already getting blurry and her body swayed side to side.

"When did you realize you liked women as well as men, anyway?" Ino asked curiously.

"I think I've known for a long time." Sakura answered. "I just didn't want to admit it to myself. I thought that if Sasuke and I got together, everything would work out magically. But I think the first time I thought of another girl in terms of love, I was only six years old."

"Six?" the room was starting to spin and Ino placed her elbows on the table in front of her to keep herself from falling over.

"Yeah, there was this girl who saved me while I was being bullied," Sakura explained. "I was crying but this little girl chased them off. She told me that we could be friends. I think that's the first crush I ever had, even though I didn't realize it at the time."

"That's a really cute story!" Ino grinned while trying to focus her eyes on Sakura. "Are you still in contact with this girl?"

"Yeah, we still talk pretty often," Sakura raised an eyebrow and looked at Ino with an amused smile. "She used to have short hair but she grew it out long. It's looks really great now."

Ino felt a stab of jealousy directed at the other girl. She wondered who she could be. With a pout, she looked at the other three girls. Tenten had passed out on the sofa while Temari and Hinata talked about the best flowers for a wedding. Ino, as the daughter of botanists, felt like she should chime in, but she wanted to keep talking to Sakura instead.

"You know, I've thought about being with girls before, too," Ino admitted. "But it always felt... safer... to chase after Sasuke and then Sai."

"You were afraid of being judged," Sakura said knowingly.

Ino nodded. She had never been able to say those feelings to anyone, even her mother. Saying them to Sakura, however, felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Sakura moved to sit closer to Ino. Their thighs touched, sending a tingle of excitement throughout Ino's body. She felt her face heat up and she wondered if Sasuke had ever gotten to experience the same feeling. Now thoroughly drunk, Ino put her head on Sakura's shoulder.

"You know, uh, Sakura," Ino said and felt Sakura tense from under her.

"What is it?"

"I never actually had a crush on Sasuke!" Ino blurted out before she could stop herself.

Sakura froze and turned her head to look down at Ino. "What?"

The part of Ino that never wanted to show weakness was telling her to shut up. After her first confession, however, the floodgates opened and she couldn't stop herself from talking "It's so stupid... I just, you know, I wanted to be your rival and stuff. You thought I had a crush on Sasuke so I, uh... faked it. I wanted to keep your attention even if you moved on to Sasuke."

Ino braced herself for Sakura to yell at her for keeping the act for so long, Instead, however, Sakura began to laugh. Ino moved her head up to meet Sakura in the eyes. She frowned in confusion at Sakura's reaction.

"What? What's so funny?" she asked. The sight of Sakura began to blur in front of her eyes and she realized that she was drunker than she had imagined.

Sakura laughed for a long time until she could contain her laughter and answer Ino's question. "Ino Pig, it's funny because I did basically the same thing."

"What?" Ino must have been dreaming because it sounded like Sakura was confessing something, too.

"Yeah, I wanted us to be rivals, so I lied to you about Sasuke liking girls with long hair and about falling in love with him," Sakura explained. "I'm not gonna lie, I do think Sasuke is really cool and attractive, but under that, we don't really click that much."

"What?" Ino asked again. No matter what came out of Sakura's mouth, she couldn't understand it at all.

"I thought you had a crush, so I faked my own."

"What!" Ino wondered if alcohol could affect her sense of hearing, too.

At Ino's continued inability to understand, Sakura gave her an exasperated smile before placing her hand on Ino's cheek.

"Aren't you supposed to be smart, Ino Pig?" Sakura gave her a fond look.

Ino felt her entire body burn up at the close contact. With Sakura so close she wanted nothing more than to cross the distance and to pull her in. Her eyes looked down at Sakura's lips and she wondered once again if they were as soft as they looked.

"I don't really like Sai that much," Ino confessed before she did anything crazy- like put her lips on top of Sakura's.

Ino flinched back and slapped her hands over her mouth as if she could take the words back. She looked at Sakura with horror and embarrassment. Sakura looked at her with eyes wide open in surprise. Ino felt her face turning red and she waited for Sakura to speak.

"Oh? How so?" Sakura gave her a mischievous smile.

"I think he just wants to date me because it's what it's expected from two good-looking people," Ino said. "I kind of feel like an experiment for him. But, I also think I'm treating him the same way. I think we just want to pretend to be normal. And normal people go on dates with each other. If I didn't nag him about spending time with me, Sai could probably spend the entire day with Shino. Does that make any sense?"

"Not really," Sakura said bluntly and Ino's heart sank. "I think you should make your own choices and allow yourself to be happy."

"Really?" Ino asked.

"Really."

Ino slumped her head on the back of the sofa. Defeated, she turned to look at Sakura. "I need to break up with Sai. Pour me another."

"Aren't you already drunk?" Sakura asked while pouring out a glass anyway.

"Not enough," Ino replied as she downed her cup all at once.

Sakura gave her a look full of amusement and exasperation before slumping back next to Ino. Quiet, the two women sat together, listening to Hinata and Temari talk about wedding dresses while Tenten snored on the couch, defeated.

Ino reached out to Sakura and took her hand. She marveled at its warmth, feeling the calluses that developed after years of being a shinobi. It almost made her miss their time in the Academy. Her hands had been so soft and innocent, not knowing what lay ahead on their journey.

Idly, she wondered who the girl that had saved Sakura so long ago was. Hinata was the only other kunoichi that had graduated with them. Perhaps the other girl was not a shinobi?

Ino burned with curiosity. She felt the sake spread throughout her body. She knew she would be hungover in the morning, but spending time with Sakura took precedence.

"Hey Billboard Brow, how come you're not drunk like everyone else?" she asked with a pout and a frown.

Sakura smirked. "I'm a medic-nin. I boosted my liver to be able to process alcohol ten times faster than normal."

Ino gaped at her friend. "You can do that?!"

Sakura nodded and smiled at Ino fondly. "It's really fun to watch people getting drunk in front of you."

Ino frowned and placed her head back on Sakura's shoulder. She wrapped her arms around Sakura in a hug. Sakura's body had a grounding effect as Ino's mind seemed to be turning all over itself.

"Evil girl," Ino whispered in Sakura's ear. She felt Sakura shake with laughter at her words.

They sat together in silence, listening to the other conversation, until Hinata stood up, shaking like a newborn deer.

"Anyway, I think I have to go home. Father will get worried if I stay out any later," Hinata said as she nodded her head at Sakura. "Thank you very much for inviting us. I had a lot of fun."

"I think it's time for me to head back, too," Temari said as she stood up and stretched next to Hinata. "I want to say goodbye to Shikamaru before he leaves tomorrow."

"Are you two fine to get back home alone?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"I'll be okay," Hinata answered with a smile. "Konoha is really safe now."

"Still, I'd feel better if you had some company."

Sakura sat up straight and moved her hands to form the familiar seal for a shadow clone. Ino blinked and when she opened her eyes, she saw two more Sakuras in front of her. She remembered Hinata's confession about Naruto using clones in bed and wondered if Sakura could do the same thing.

Too many possibilities here.

"Just in case," Sakura explained.

Each of Sakura's clones moved to stand with Hinata and Temari. The clones set out, leading the other kunoichi back home. Sakura and Ino were left with Tenten snoring on the couch.

Ino knew that she should go home, even if her mom would yell at her for coming back so late and drunk. However, she didn't want to leave Sakura's side. Even before she left for Sunagakure, they never seemed to spend a lot of time together. She wanted to treasure Sakura's company.

She cuddled closer to her friend to the point that she was almost sitting on her lap.

"Aren't you going to head home, too?" Sakura asked suddenly.

Ino shook her head furiously. There was no way she was going back home in her state. She wished she had studied medical ninjutsu more. She might have learned how to boost her liver like Sakura if she had.

"Won't your mom be even more mad if you go home tomorrow?" Sakura asked.

Ino shook her head again. "No, she'll just assume I spent the night with Sai. She thinks it's healthy for boys and girls to spend time together."

Sakura sighed and wrapped her right arm around Ino. She felt safe and protected and wished she could stay in her arms forever. She yawned widely and felt her eyes start to close involuntarily in exhaustion.

"I think you're too tired to walk back home anyway, Ino Pig," she could hear the amusement in Sakura's voice. "You can stay over if you want. You can sleep in my bed. I'll take the sofa."

With a tired nod, Ino stood up with Sakura's help. Leaning on her friend, they walked towards Sakura's bedroom. Ino used the toilet first, shaking her head in embarrassment when Sakura sarcastically asked if she needed help. When she finished and entered the bedroom again, she found Sakura placing her hitai-ate on top of her dresser.

"Sakura, you look so pretty!" Ino said before she could stop herself.

Sakura quirked up an eyebrow at the compliment and walked to stand in front of Ino. She placed her hands on Ino's hips and moved them to her lower back. Ino's heart skipped a beat and she bent her head forward. However, Sakura simply moved her hands to undo the belt of her bag and walked back to place it next to Sakura's hitai-ate.

Disappointed, Ino slumped and began to make her way to the bed. She collapsed immediately and looked up at Sakura. The other girl was staring down in amusement at Ino's condition with a lopsided smile.

"You should probably sleep under the blankets," Sakura said as she moved closer and pushed her to the side, covering her with blankets.

"Thanks Billboard Brow," Ino said as Sakura tucked her into bed like a little girl. "You're not bad at this."

Sakura snorted as she brushed Ino's hair out of her face and walked away from the bed to return to the living room. "Good night, Ino."

"Wait! Sakura-chan! Don't leave me!" Ino cried out in panic.

She needed Sakura close. Embarrassingly, her eyes started to tear up and she began to cry. Shikamaru and Chouji had always made fun of her for being emotional when drunk. At her words, Sakura turned around and walked back.

"Do you want to hold my hand until you fall asleep or what?" Sakura asked.

"Lay down next to me. I don't want to be alone," Ino whined.

Sakura sighed but did as Ino said. She crawled into bed and turned her head to look at Ino's tearful face. From a small part of her brain, Ino knew that she would be embarrassed beyond all reason in the morning, but at the moment she didn't really care. It was a time for confession.

"I think I was always in love with you, Sakura," Ino said while crying. "But I was just too stubborn to admit it. I'm sorry for everything I said to you before. Who is the girl who saved you back at the Academy? I can tell you still like her but I don't wanna have to fight anyone over you, especially a civilian. The Sixth Hokage will have me arrested and demoted if I do!"

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise at Ino's confession before laughing. Ino stared at Sakura's shoulders shaking in mirth. It took Sakura a long time to calm down enough to reply.

"I thought you were supposed to be smart, Ino. The girl that I got a crush on is you, you idiot!"

"Wait... what?" Ino's brain tried to process Sakura's statement but failed. It seemed like...

"I always had a crush on you,Ino Pig! But you were too stupid and I thought you were into Sasuke and Sai the whole time."

Oh. So I didn't imagine it.

Ino moved closer and pressed her forehead on top of Sakura's. She looked into her eyes and could only see complete and total sincerity. She moved her hands to wrap around Sakura and she pulled the other girl close to her. Their bodies seemed to fit into each other. Ino closed her eyes and breathed in Sakura's floral perfume.

"Thanks, Billboard Brow," Ino said before falling asleep, Sakura held tightly in her arms.

Ino remembered everything that had happened the previous night and cringed at herself. Did I really make a drunk fool out of myself and confess to Sakura?

In panic, she tried to crawl out of the bed without waking the other woman. However, she was not quiet enough and Sakura was a trained shinobi. Sakura immediately woke up and stared up at Ino. Ino froze in her tracks with one leg on the floor.

"G-g-good morning," she stuttered.

Sakura gave her a blank stare before sitting up and stretching her arms over her head.

"Good morning," she said calmly before both of them fell into complete silence.

Ino began to feel sweat falling down her back as she stared at Sakura. She wanted to run up to Sakura and kiss her like there was no tomorrow, but she didn't know if that would be the best course of action.

"So, about last night..." Ino began before Sakura interrupted.

"Do you want to give us a chance?" Sakura asked while looking directly into her eyes.

"U-us?"

Sakura nodded. "I tried to give me and Sasuke a chance but it didn't work out between us, romance-wise. Do you want to try with me?"

Ino wondered if she was still dreaming. She nodded before she could wake up. Sakura smiled.

"In that case, how about a good morning kiss?" Sakura asked as she stared at Ino while biting her lip. Ino couldn't help but admit that the sight was breathtaking.

Wordlessly, Ino crawled back onto the bed and moved atop Sakura's lap. With only a moment of hesitation, she bent her face forward and kissed Sakura. Her lips were softer than she had imagined and her eyelashes fluttered on Ino's cheeks.

Ino deepened their kiss and felt Sakura kiss her back. Her tongue pressed insistently at Ino's lips and she let her in. Sakura's tongue sent a new wave of pleasure coursing through her body and she moved her hand to cup the back of Sakura's head. Ino combed her fingers through her hair and marveled at the sensation. Gently, she pulled on Sakura's hair, making a small moan escape from the other woman's lips. It was the most beautiful sound Ino had ever heard.

Emboldened, Ino pushed Sakura back on the mattress and pinned her down, one knee between her legs. Sakura collapsed with a surprised grunt but didn't let go of Ino's lips.

Ino pulled at her hair gently once again and Sakura returned the favor by placing the palms of her hands on her face. They moaned together in pleasure and Ino felt her temperature rise as their bodies moved together in-sync.

With one hand still in her hair and their lips locked together, Ino began to touch parts of Sakura's body that she had always wanted to explore. She moved her hand down her face and onto her chest. She hesitated at the hem of Sakura's top before unbuttoning the shirt quickly and carelessly.

She wanted more and from Sakura's reactions, Ino could tell that Sakura felt the same way. Taking her hand away from Sakura's hair, she placed her hand on the inside of Sakura's thigh. Ino was ready for more.

"Hey, Sakura, do you have any pain pills somewhere? I have a terrible head- OH MY GOD!" Tenten walked in as soon as Ino had placed begun making her way up Sakura's thigh.

Electrified, the two girls split apart to stare at the interruption with wide-open eyes. Tenten was standing at the entrance of the bedroom, her hands covering her eyes.

"SORRY! I SHOULD HAVE KNOCKED!" Tenten slammed the door shut behind her, leaving the two girls alone once again.

Ino and Sakura exchanged embarrassed looks. Part of Ino wanted to continue with what they had been doing, but the magic of the moment was gone. They couldn't keep Tenten waiting for them to finish. They stared at each other again before breaking out into giggles.

"I should probably break up with Sai first, shouldn't I?" Ino said as she tried not to snort.

"You probably should," Sakura answered with a smile.

xOxOxOxOxOx

A/N: Poor Shino and Kiba never get invited to anything.